Young Guns: Fire and Steel

Chapter 8: "We're Screwed"

The next afternoon the group were about a days ride from Lincoln just south of Bluewater Creek, which was rather full of water due to recent rains and more northern snows. They rode down an incline to where they had heard rumors that their quarry, Henry Hill, was relaxing, supposedly with a woman, from the rumor Dick heard. Kristal followed the group from behind, preferring to stay back, remaining watchful. Dick had been more aggravated with her since after the funeral, so she chose to stay well away from him. She had a feeling he wasn't too happy that he was outvoted in her sticking around. And then there was McCloskey. That man still unnerved her, and he had been acting increasingly odd lately. It was better to remain back and watchful anyway.

Still, Kristal was just happy to have her faithful steed back. Running a hand down the black coat of her mustang, the blonde leaned down, cooing softly to her horse. It felt so good to be able to ride him again, and Midnight seemed just as happy to be ridden. The horse was the only friend she knew she could truly rely on -- the only friend she truly ever had.

Straightening, Kristal noticed the boys had stopped and pulled Midnight to a halt behind Dirty Steve. Realizing she was next to McCloskey, Kristal cringed inwardly. Feeling like she was being watched, she glanced at the man. Sure enough, the fool was staring at her. When he noticed her looking back, he even had the gall to smile and sent her a playful wink. But it wasn't a friendly smile. It was more like he had a secret agenda, and she didn't know what it was. And his wink, was just as unnerving. It made the hairs rise on the back of her neck. Trying her best to ignore him, Kristal perked up hearing Chavez speaking in Spanish.

"Lugar peligroso. This is bad medicine, my friends."

A frown pulled at Doc's features as he looked around, his uneasiness growing, "you got that right."

Kristal eyed both men curiously and then looked down at the shack. It was nestled next to the creek and seemed oddly familiar to her. Had this been the shack she had been at with Belle before she had been shot. No... it couldn't be... could it? It looked an awful lot like it, though. She was beginning to grow wary. This had to be that old shack, the one that Belle said outlaws liked to lay low in - that she had stayed in briefly. Who knew what they might find in there... or worse, who they might find. Pressing her lips together, she grew annoyed with herself. Why was it she always got herself into these crazy situations?

It had been rare form for Belle to be so far from eastern Texas and Oklahoma to begin with. But the older woman had chased a con-man who had taken off with her money and some valuables. In the process they had come across the law. In an effort to lose the Marshall and his men, Belle had done something unthinkable --- something Kris never thought the woman she considered mother would do. Kristal was then forced to go on the run with a bullet wound in her side after doing her best to take down as many lawmen as she could. Somehow she managed to lose them in the process of escaping. Belle had seemingly disappeared, but Kristal doubted the woman went back to Texas. Hell, she had a feeling the woman was probably camping near the border, unless it was true and the Starr gang really was disbanded --- to which, Kris had her doubts.

Still, Belle, Sam, a few others and herself had stayed in this very cabin learning the whereabouts of the man who thought he could steal from and slander Belle and get away with it. Yes, she remembered this damn shit hole now and it made her stomach twist.

Mirroring everyone else's frowns, Steve looked to Doc, "hell, Doc, you grew up in a place worse than that ain't ya?"

The blond man shook his head, remembering that time with anything but fondness. "Yeah, but I've been encultured since."

Pulling out the warrant, Richard looked it over. His eyes then slid to look at the shack below. "Okay, Henry Hill is supposed to be in there with a lady since noon. We'll show him the warrant and take him home."